Convertible roller skate and ski



Jan. 14, 1958 Q THQRE'SEN 2,819,907

@ONVERTIBLE ROLLER SKATE AND SKI Filed Nov. 17, 1955 2 Sheeis-Shgaet l25 II I fig. :27. I INVENTOR.

Carl B. Thoresen A TTORNE Y 1958 c. B. THORESEN ,81

CONVERTIBLE ROLLER SKATE AND SKI Filed Nov. 17, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTORQ Carl B. Tho'reseh .ATTORQEY United rates Patent CONVERTIBLEROLLER SKATE AND SKI Carl B. Thoresen, Richmond Hill, N. Y.

Application November 17, 1955, Serial No. 547,402

1 Claim. (Cl. 2807.13)

This invention relates generally to recreational d -Y. vices and, moreparticularly, to a recreational device con! vertible into either awheeled vehicle or a runner type vehicle.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a recreationaldevice capable of being readily converted into either a roller skate ora ski.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a device of this kindwhich is readily manipulated, is versatile, interchangeable, suitablefor children or adults, simple and rugged in construction and which maybe manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a convertible roller skate and skiembodying my invention in use as a roller skate.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the convertible roller skate andski device.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the plane of theline 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the convertible roller skate andski device converted for use as a ski.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the plane of theline 7-7 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, in Fig. 1 a convertiblerecreational device convertible into either a roller skate or a ski andmade in accordance with the invention is shown in use as a roller skate,two of such devices being shown. The improved device comprises anelongated straight bar 10 formed of suitable metal, of narrow bladelikeformation, square in cross section, with smooth flat top, bottom andside surfaces 11, 12 and 13, respectively. At the front end as viewed inFig. 1, the bar is curved upwardly to form a nose portion 14 so as toavoid obstacles in the path of movement of the device. The rear end ofthe bar is preferably rounded off.

A rear wheel truck frame 15 supporting a pair of rear wheels 16, 16 isswingably mounted at the rear extremity of the bar 10. The truck frameconsists of a pair of spaced plates 17, 17, each plate consisting offlat straight arm portions 18 and 19 disposed at right angles to eachother. The plates are braced and held in spaced relation by a pair ofspaced pins 20, 20 extending between the arm portions 19. The spacebetween the plates is slightly greater than the width of the bar 10. Apivot pin 21 is loosely mounted in a transverse bore in the extreme rearend of the bar and the free ends of the arm portions 18 are fastened tothe protruding ends of said pin in any suitable manner. A shaft 22extends transversely of the arm portions 19 passing through alignedopenings in the "ice extreme free. ends. t er A sle ve 23 is. sleevedthe shaft for its length and extends through the, openings, in he. armportions 19 having a force fit in a spacing bush; ing 24 disposedbetween the ends of said arm portions 19-. A wheel 16. is rotatablymounted on the sleeve at each end. thereof outwardly of the adjacentplate 1 7, and nuts 25 on the outer threaded ends of the pr en logitudin l d placeme of sa slee e ,3-

The mounting of the truck frame at the extreme rear end of the barpermits the truck frame to be swung an areuate path slightly more thanfrom the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 5.. Theswinging of the truck frame in a counterclockwise direction as viewed inFigs. 2 and 5. is limited by the engagement of the bushing 24 with thetop surface 11 of the bar, and swinging movement in the opposite orclockwise direc-. tion from the position of Fig. 5 to the position ofFig.2 is limited by engagement of a pin 26, extending through atransverse opening in the bar adjacent the rear end thereof, with thebottom edge walls of opposed veshaped notches 27 formed in the edges ofthe plates 17, 17 cenal y of. he arm p s 1 he truck is d a ainstdisplacement or rattling by the frictional fit of the plates 17, 17 andbar 10.

A front wheel truck frame 30 Supporting a wheel 31 is swingablyconnected to the bar 10 midway the ends of the curved nose portion 14.The frame 30 consists of a pair of spaced plates 42, 42, each, plateconsisting of. flat curved arm portion 43 conforming to the curvature ofthe nose portion 14 and a flat straight arm portion 44 disposed atsubstantially right angles to the arm portion 43. The plates are bracedand held in spaced relation by a pair of spaced pins45 extending betweenthe arm portions 44. The space between the plates is slightly greaterthan the width of the bar 10. A pivot pin 46 is loosely mounted in atransverse bore in the nose portion 14 of the bar, midway its ends, andthe free ends of the curved arm portions 43 of the plates are fastenedto the protruding ends of said pin in any suitable manner.

A shaft 47 extends transversely of the ends of the straight arm portions44 of the plates, passing through aligned openings in said ends. Abushing 48 is sleeved over the shaft with its ends engaging the innersurfaces of the ends of the straight arm portions 44 of the plates. Thewheel 31 is rotatably mounted on the bushing 48 midway its ends, betweenthe ends of the straight arm portions 44 of the plates. Nuts 49 on thethreaded ends of the shaft 47 hold the parts against displacement.

The curved arm portions 43 of the plates of the truck frame aresufiiciently long to permit the truck frame to be swung forwardly andupwardly in an arcuate path over the front end of the bar 10 a distanceof more than 180, from the position of Fig. 2 to the position of Fig. 5,such movement being limited by the engagement of the wheel 31 with thetop surface 11 of the bar 10. Movement of the truck frame in theopposite direction or anticlockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 5 islimited by engagement of the protruding ends of a pin 50 extendingthrough a transverse opening in the bar 10 adjacent the nose portion 14thereof with the bottom edge walls of opposed slightly arcuate-shapednotches 51 formed in the plates 42, 42 at points aligned with thecenters of the straight arm portions 44.

A foot rest in the form of an elongated metal plate 52 is secured bysoldering, welding or the like in fiatwise condition to the top surface11 of the bar 10 approximately midway its ends. The plate is preferablycovered with a rubber corrugated mat 53.

In using the improved device as a roller skate, the wheel trucks aredisposed so that the wheels depend downwardly from the bar 10 so as toengage a supporting surface such as a pavement 55. A pair of devices areused with the skater standing thereon with his feet on the mats 53 ofthe supporting plates 52, as shown in Fig. l. The skating operation iscarried on in the usual manner by manipulating the legs. If desired, aflexible member such as a rope 56 may have its ends tied to the frontnose portions 14 of the bars of the skates and for this purpose, an eyeor loop 57 is suitably formed on the top extreme end of the nose portion14. The rope may have a clasp 58 attached to each end thereof tofacilitate attaching and detachment of the rope. By manipulating therope with the hands, the roller skates may be steered or the weight onthe wheels adjusted for steering or other desired purpose. The rope alsoserves to aid in transporting the skates.

In order to convert the device for use as a ski, the truck frames areswung upwardly over the ends of the bar 10 to the positions shown inFig. 5. When in this position, the truck frames with the wheels are outof the way, leaving the bottom surface 12 of the bar 10 free and clearto serve as a runner to glidedown over a snowy surface such as indicatedat 59.

If desired, the contacting surfaces of the truck frames and bar 10 maybe roughened in order to assist in holding the frames in moved position.While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise construction herein disclosed and that various changes andmodifications may be made within the scope of the invention as definedin the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent 1s:

A combined roller skate and ski comprising a pair of independent runnersupwardly curved at their front ends and having smooth bottom surfacesfor sliding on snow, shoe engaging mats on the top surfaces thereof, androller assemblies pivotally supported on the runners at the front andrear ends thereof, and swingable over said ends to rest on said topsurfaces in out of the way positions with respect to said mats, thefront roller assembly consisting of a frame including spaced plates,each plate composed of a curved arm portion conforming to the curvatureof the curved end of the runner and a straight arm portion extendingsubstantially at right angles to the curved arm portion, the spacebetween said plates being slightly greater than the width of the runner,said rear assembly consisting of a frame including spaced plates, eachplate being composed of straight arm portions disposed at right anglesto each other, the space between said latter pla es being slightlygreater than the width of the runner, means for limiting the movementsof the frames, said means including notched portions formed on theframes and pins protruding laterally from the runners at both endsthereof positioned in the path of movement of said notched portions, andan elongated flexible member having its ends connected by removableclasps to the extremities of the forward ends of the runners and adaptedto be grasped near the center thereof by a coaster standing on therunners whereby the coaster may be supported in a standing position andmay steer the apparatus.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS613,102 Wilson Oct. 25, 1898 628,433 Finch July 4, 1899 880,519Gratfenberger Mar. 3, 1908 1,440,565 Solbjor Jan. 2, 1923 1,834,979Skoglund Dec. 8, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS 916,879 France Aug. 26, 1946125,155 Sweden June 7, 1949

